Cintia
asked
Samantha Joyce:
I'm an aspiring writer, but I'm dealing with two things: I get discouraged every single day because 96% of manuscripts are rejected, and I haven't had an idea for years, literally. There's too many people wanting to be writers, and knowing there's so much competition just kills me a little every day. When I get motivated, immediatly something appears about the industry that kills it. Any tips on how to deal with this?
Samantha Joyce
This is something every writer faces! It’s only natural to worry about it. I’ve definitely had my share of “bad timing” books, where by the time I’m done, the industry is overwhelmed with that particular genre.
My best advice is to stop thinking about the market and the industry and write for yourself. When you write something you’re passionate about, it shows. And timing in this industry doesn’t always mean a lot. Publishing is cyclical. If something isn’t popular now, it probably will be again. So by the time you’re done, it could be exactly what someone is looking for!
I also like to think my writing gets stronger with every book I write. So think of writing a new book as getting better at what you love. The more you do it, the better you’ll get! But if you stop yourself from writing out of fear or frustration about whether or not it will be published, you lose out on honing your skills.
This is a tough industry, yes, but it’s not impossible to get into. It takes a lot of hard work, a lot of writing things that may not get published, and a lot of faith in yourself.
So turn off the part of you that is worried about what the industry holds and go let yourself enjoy writing. Good luck!
My best advice is to stop thinking about the market and the industry and write for yourself. When you write something you’re passionate about, it shows. And timing in this industry doesn’t always mean a lot. Publishing is cyclical. If something isn’t popular now, it probably will be again. So by the time you’re done, it could be exactly what someone is looking for!
I also like to think my writing gets stronger with every book I write. So think of writing a new book as getting better at what you love. The more you do it, the better you’ll get! But if you stop yourself from writing out of fear or frustration about whether or not it will be published, you lose out on honing your skills.
This is a tough industry, yes, but it’s not impossible to get into. It takes a lot of hard work, a lot of writing things that may not get published, and a lot of faith in yourself.
So turn off the part of you that is worried about what the industry holds and go let yourself enjoy writing. Good luck!
About Goodreads Q&A
Ask and answer questions about books!
You can pose questions to the Goodreads community with Reader Q&A, or ask your favorite author a question with Ask the Author.
See Featured Authors Answering Questions
Learn more
Jan 21, 2018 04:22AM · flag